Air Force grounds F-35As as ejection seat issue threatens fighter jets worldwide

[turbinetree]

By Rachel S. Cohen
Jul 29, 02:51 PM



The Air Force’s F-35A Lightning II fleet is the latest to stand down amid concerns about defective ejection seat parts on a wide range of military aircraft at home and abroad.

Air Combat Command grounded the advanced fighters Friday in order to speed up inspections of ejection seat cartridges, the part that explodes to propel an aviator out of the cockpit and prompts their parachute to open.

Inspections began July 19, nearly a week before the Navy said it began shipping replacement parts to its own maintenance centers with planes affected by the problem. It’s unclear when the military first learned of the defective cartridges.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-air-force/2022/07/29/air-force-grounds-f-35as-as-ejection-seat-issue-threatens-fighter-jets-worldwide/

[brooklynite]

1. They did when they shouldn't, or they didn't when they should?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. That's an interesting question.

I, myself, would like to know and if any pilots were injured or killed.